An Update on Our Oak Tree

by Stephen Shaver

Last Sunday night, a very large branch of our beloved oak tree in the quad fell down. (This was not the “signature” low horizontal branch, but one from up high in the tree.) No one was in the quad at the time. Our Buildings and Grounds chair Steve Layton had a tree crew here the next morning to assess the situation.

According to the tree crew, this kind of "sudden branch drop" happens occasionally after very hot weather when a large tree draws extra water up into its high branches. They believe the rest of the tree is sound, though it will need some extra care and fertilization. While it doesn't appear this is an incident we could have predictably avoided, we'll be taking this opportunity to have them evaluate all the trees on our campus for any needed upkeep. As I write this on Wednesday, they are removing the fallen branches. Farlander Hall is closed for today while they perform this work but should be available for this weekend.

We will be working on what repairs may be needed to the part of Farlander's roof where the branch fell. Our solar panels will need a good cleaning and possibly some repairs to a few panels as well.

I'm thankful that no one was hurt and the damage was limited. I'm thankful too that our beloved tree is still with us, although changed. Please thank Steve Layton when you see him for his leadership and care for our campus.

At a worship planning meeting Tuesday evening, vestry member Rebecca Kendall offered this prayer:

O Great Designer and Sustainer of Life,
we pray for the mighty old trees.

These great elders have given us so much
through the gift of their breath,
the bounties of their beauty,
their shelter and homes for birds and other animals,
the food provided by their foliage, fruits, flowers, and nectar,
their recycling of soil nutrients,
and their role in the flow of water through the ecosystem.

Bless these trees and all their gifts to us and our world.
We honor in this prayer
all the mighty trees that are now dying
after many years of thriving.
We lament the loss of these largest living organisms of the planet
and our role in their untimely deaths.

Bless the trees that have survived the onslaught
of heat, logging, fires, fungal disease, and insects,
May we do all we can as caregivers and protectors
of trees - old and young alike -
that they may all live long
and healthy lives.
So be it.